Chapter Six: Who'd A Ever Thought?
A couple hours went by when Ginny finally opened her eyes. She could smell the faint and distant fragrance of vegetable soup, mmm, her favorite. If it was one thing she knew, it was that she needed to quit fainting so much lately. She had fainted at least 3 other times before Draco had appeared in her life again.
Ginny then saw Penelope waddle her way into the room.
"Hey Penny," Ginny said as she sat up.
"Hey yourself Gin," Penny said as she sat down on the other side of the bed.
She picked up the tray of soup and put it on Ginny's lap.
"Here," Penelope said. "I made your favorite, vegetable medley. Now eat. I'm guessing you don't want to lose your baby do you? Even if it is Malfoy's child."
Outside the door was four of Ginny's brothers, except Percy, listening to every word that hung out in the open air.
"Ease dropping are you?" Ginny asked. "Doesn't matter I guess, you might as well listen if you want to hear something."
"No Ginny, there's no need for them to listen," Penelope said. "Besides we need a girl talk time. I'm overdue for one and I'm sure you are too."
"Ok," Ginny said. "Perhaps I do need one."
"On second thought," Penelope said. "Maybe later, perhaps after the baby is born. Percy, help!"
"Percy's not here Penelope," Fred lied.
"What do you mean he's not here? I need him! How am I supposed to have this baby without him?" Penelope said, beginning to panic just a tad bit.
"Don't panic Penelope," Charlie said. "We'll get you to the hospital. One of us will stay with you. Can you walk or is one of us going to carry you in?"
Penelope got up and walked over to Charlie, looking into his eyes and then said, "On second thought, you'd better carry me."
Charlie then gently picked her up into his arms and apparated to St. Mungo's with her in his arms.
All but Ron, and of course Percy, followed Charlie.
"Ginny, I know it may be Malfoy's child in there but you've got to eat. It's your baby too you know," Ron said.
"I know," Ginny said. "Would you mind staying with me or rather help me into my flat and staying there for a while? Just until I get on my feet again."
"Sure," Ron said. "Let's go. You can eat at the table in Penny's kitchen, while I go try to sober up Percy."
Ginny laughed as she got up.
"Percy's drunk?" Ginny asked, still laughing.
"Yeah, it's hard to believe isn't it? He's the one who had sparkling white grape juice at his own wedding. Apparently, he's been holding out on us. Either that or it could have been the proposition that Penny told Percy," Ron said, laughing too.
"What was that?" Ginny asked.
"Right after you fainted," Ron said. "Penny told Percy he couldn't sleep in the same bed as her until their baby was a month old."
"That's funny!" Ginny said, laughing.
"Yeah," Ron said. "Would you like me to carry the soup down for you?"
"Ron I think I can handle one measley bowl of soup to carry downstairs," Ginny said. "I may be pregnant but I can still carry a bowl of soup."
"Ok," Ron said. "I'll go sober up Percy."
Ginny then laughed again thinking about Percy getting drunk, especially in a moment that his wife needed him, desperately. Ron followed closely right behind her, cautious of her fainting again.
Ginny came into the kitchen to see Percy slouched over and asleep with his head down on the table. Ginny then sat down at the table and began to eat her soup.
"Percy," Ron said as he shook him.
Percy started to stir when Ron nudged him a bit. Ron then put a cup of something back in it in front of Percy.
"What is it?" Percy asked, only his words were a little slurred.
"You don't want to know. Fred and George put it together," Ron said. "Now drink up."
"That figures," Percy said. "Why should I anyways?"
"Because Penelope needs you right now," Ron said.
"What for? She's mad at me right now," Percy said.
"Because she's in labor right now, you idiot!" Ginny said.
"Ginny," Ron hissed. "Be nice. It's not everyday that we get to see our older brother drunk, especially him."
"Why should I? He's the one who got sloshed just when his own wife starts to go into labor," Ginny said and then looked at Percy.
Ginny then stepped closer to Percy, knocking Ron out of the way.
"Percy, I love you but I'm sure Penny would love you more if you went to her right now," Ginny said and then picked up the cup and literally forced it into Percy's mouth and down his throat.
"Ginny!" Percy barely managed to say as she literally shoved it down his throat. "That's disgusting!"
"Well think about who made it!" Ginny shouted back.
"Enough you two!" Ron interrupted. "Percy you go to the hospital and help your wife, before she makes it two months after the baby is born."
That did it. That had apparently got him moved, literally. Within the next two seconds, he was gone.
By now, Ginny had finished her soup.
When I get home, Ginny thought. I'm going to have another bowl and go to bed.
It was already about 10-o-clock. Ginny got up, put her bowl in the sink and went over to Ron.
"Ready to go?" Ron asked.
"On second thought, Ron you wouldn't mind if I asked you not to go with me would you?" Ginny asked.
"That's fine," Ron said. "You know how to reach me if you need me."
"Thanks," Ginny said as she hugged him. "See you later then."
"Bye sis," Ron said. "Take care of my little niece in there will you?"
"It could be little nephew to you, you know," Ginny said. "Either way, ok. I promise I'll eat more often. I'll use the floo system. I really just don't want to apparte right now."
Ginny then went to the fireplace, threw the floor powder down and said, "Home!"
Sneak peak of Chapter 7…
"Gin," Draco said, trying to get closer to her. "I'm sorry."
"No," Ginny said. "Stay away from me! You didn't even ask me to move in with you. Did you think you could at least do that? You moved everything?"